{"id":457184,"date":"2026-02-13T21:16:24","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T21:16:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/457184\/"},"modified":"2026-02-13T21:16:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T21:16:24","slug":"around-olympic-hockey-early-mens-chaos-while-womens-knockout-rounds-begin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/457184\/","title":{"rendered":"Around Olympic hockey: Early men\u2019s chaos while women\u2019s knockout rounds begin"},"content":{"rendered":"

Red Light newsletter\u00a0\ud83c\udfd2\u00a0| This is\u00a0The Athletic\u2019s\u00a0hockey\u00a0newsletter.\u00a0Sign up here<\/a>\u00a0to receive Red Light directly in your inbox.<\/p>\n

Good morning, hockey folks. Let\u2019s not waste any time: We need to get you caught up on all things Olympic puck, including the two games already played this morning in Milan, and we need to do it quickly.<\/p>\n

But first, a reminder to sign up for our Olympics newsletter here<\/a>. And our full Olympics schedule, customized to your time zone, is here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Alexander Nemenov \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Early IntrigueChaos: Finland beats Sweden<\/p>\n

Well, well, well.<\/p>\n

After Finland lost its opener in an early surprise against Slovakia on Wednesday, all eyes have been on Group B because of potentially major ramifications for the knockout rounds.<\/p>\n

If the Finns had lost early this morning to Sweden, they would have been winless through two games, meaning they would have fallen into the qualification round as one of the lower-seeded teams in the tournament and had a very tough road ahead.<\/p>\n

Instead, the plucky Finns arrived in a big way in this one with a couple early goals from Nikolas Matinpalo and Anton Lundell as part of an impressive 4-1 win<\/a> in one of international hockey\u2019s best rivalries<\/a>. Now it\u2019s Slovakia that sits atop Group B<\/a> with two games tomorrow to determine who ends up where:<\/p>\n

Sweden vs. Slovakia (6:10 a.m. ET)
\nFinland vs. Italy (10:40 a.m.)<\/p>\n

If Slovakia can get a single point out of that game against the Swedes, it\u2019ll win the group, which could make things very interesting. Even if the Slovaks lose, a win by Finland over Italy likely creates a three-way tie that would have to be broken by goal differential. (Which then makes the score in that Sweden-Slovakia game important.)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Whichever team ends up ranked third in Group B will, at best, be the seventh or eighth seed after the preliminary rounds. That matters because it would put them on a direct collision course with one of the top two teams in the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n

In other words? We now can\u2019t rule out a Sweden versus Canada\/U.S. do-or-die game to start the knockout rounds. In fact, the Americans have the highest chance (21 percent)<\/a> of facing Sweden in the quarters!<\/p>\n

This would all be bad news for someone, with one of the world\u2019s top three teams going home before the semis. Even if Finland ends up in that seven or eight slot, it\u2019s going to make for some extra chaos.<\/p>\n

Bring it on, I say.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Team USA\u2019s Connor Hellebuyck, left, celebrates with teammates Brady Tkachuk, Zach Werenski and Quinn Hughes on Thursday. (Alexander Nemenov \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what else is going on in the event so far:<\/p>\n

Group C: Team USA gets a breather today after thumping Latvia 5-1<\/a> yesterday to open its tournament. Next up for the Americans is Denmark tomorrow and Germany on Sunday (both games at 3:10 p.m. ET) to end their round robin.<\/p>\n

Group A: Pierre LeBrun sets up Canada\u2019s big matchup<\/a> with Switzerland later today (3:10 p.m.), with a focus on the underdog Swiss hoping to play spoilers yet again \u2014 something they\u2019ve become very good at the World Championships. Canada\u2019s star power certainly impressed with a dominant 5-0 win<\/a> in its opener over Czech Republic yesterday.<\/p>\n

Worth noting: Keep an eye on goal differential for the U.S. and Canada, as that could determine who earns the No. 1 seed out of the prelims, potentially avoiding the Group B mess.<\/p>\n

Our Olympic men\u2019s tournament forecast<\/a> is updated after every single game.<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s playoffs schedule
\nQualification round: Tuesday
\nQuarterfinals: Wednesday
\nSemifinals: Feb. 20
\nBronze-medal game: Feb. 21
\nGold-medal game: Feb. 22
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Team USA\u2019s Cayla Barnes, Kendall Coyne and Kirsten Simms acknowledge fans after the team\u2019s 5-0 win over Canada on Tuesday. (Maja Hitij \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Narrowing FieldKnockout rounds begin<\/p>\n

We\u2019re into the quarterfinals already for the women\u2019s event, including a matchup between No. 3 Czech Republic and No. 6 Sweden that started just minutes before this newsletter hit your inbox.<\/p>\n

The top-seeded U.S. team, meanwhile, faces eighth-place Italy at 3:10 p.m. ET for the right to move on to Monday\u2019s semifinals. We\u2019ll have live coverage for that one<\/a> \u2014 join us!<\/p>\n

The other two elimination games are tomorrow:<\/p>\n

No. 2 Canada vs. No. 7 Germany (10:40 a.m.)
\nNo. 4 Finland vs. No. 5 Switzerland (3:10 p.m.)<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll have live coverage of that Canada game, too, so keep an eye on our Olympics page<\/a>. The bracket reseeds for the semifinals, so no matter what, the U.S. and Canada can\u2019t meet until Thursday\u2019s gold-medal game. The past four gold-medal games have all been between these two teams \u2014 with Canada winning three (2010, 2014, 2022) \u2014 so it would be a shocker if we don\u2019t get a rematch. Just look at these odds, courtesy of our very own Dom Luszczyszyn:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Despite being the defending champs, Canada has something to prove after a pile of losses to the Americans of late, including a lopsided 5-0 defeat<\/a> in the prelims on Tuesday in Milan.<\/p>\n

Fortunately for the Canadians, Marie-Philip Poulin, who\u2019s missed the last two games with a lower-body injury<\/a>, was a full participant in practice today. Getting the world\u2019s best player<\/a> back would be a huge boost.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss: Hailey Salvian has a great read today on Canada\u2019s Laura Stacey and her arrival as a star<\/a> heading into the knockout rounds.<\/p>\n

And another reminder: Our Olympic women\u2019s tournament forecast<\/a> is updated after every single game.<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s playoffs schedule
\nQuarterfinals: Today and tomorrow
\nSemifinals: Monday
\nMedal games: Feb. 19
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Sidney Crosby. (Alexander Nemenov \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

MirTrivia Question<\/p>\n

With two assists in Canada\u2019s win yesterday, Sidney Crosby<\/a> is now up to 11 career points in the Olympics (four goals, seven assists in 14 games).<\/p>\n

Among North American players, only four (three Canadians and one American) have had more points than that in NHL-included Olympics.<\/p>\n

How many of them can you name?<\/p>\n

(Hint: The list includes two defensemen.)<\/p>\n

Answer at the bottom.<\/p>\n

Coast to Coast<\/p>\n

The Athletic has a small army of staff on the ground in Italy, including hockey writers Hailey Salvian, Michael Russo, Pierre LeBrun, Arpon Basu and Mark Lazerus. You can find the hub for all of our hockey coverage here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfd2 Russian and Belarusian players under the age of 18 could re-enter the international hockey scene as soon as 2027-28 under new IOC recommendations, but NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league has no current plans<\/a> to bring Russia back into the fold in time for its 2028 World Cup.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\udd14 What were the best Canadian and American teams at Olympic tournaments that featured NHL players? A terrific walk down memory lane<\/a> from Dom Luszczyszyn, Sean Gentille and Sean McIndoe.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udde3\ufe0f \u201cI think everyone can learn from him, even though he\u2019s 19.\u201d That\u2019s high praise for second-year NHL sensation Macklin Celebrini, who\u2019s already shown why he made the cut<\/a> for Team Canada. That quote, by the way, came from superstar Nathan MacKinnon, who has notoriously high standards<\/a>.<\/p>\n

skating\u2019s \u201cQuad God,\u201d has been wearing bright yellow laces in Italy. He has Alexander Ovechkin to thank<\/a> for that.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf0e Which NHL players are at the Olympics? Here\u2019s the full list<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc40 Auston Matthews is at a fascinating point in his career. Are these Olympics where he solidifies a new version of himself \u2014 frequently phenomenal but flawed<\/a>? Or is it where he launches himself back into the stratosphere?<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfd2 Sean McIndoe does what he does best: take something that should be simple and make it more complicated for no good reason besides fun. In this case, it\u2019s making the best six-man all-star team of NHL Olympians. The restrictive rules are the best part<\/a> of this exercise.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\ude97 Before they were NHLers and Olympians, Quinn Hughes and Brady Tkachuk were teenage roommates who soon became inseparable. And for two years, they lived with Brady\u2019s dad, former NHL great Keith Tkachuk, who taught Hughes how to drive<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u270d\ufe0f In his latest Olympics diary, Team USA\u2019s Charlie McAvoy describes what it\u2019s like to meet Snoop Dogg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcaa Being the youngest player on this year\u2019s U.S. women\u2019s Olympic hockey team doesn\u2019t faze 20-year-old fourth-line forward Joy Dunne, whose upbringing with five siblings \u2014 all hockey players<\/a> \u2014 prepared her for this moment.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc43 Earlier this week, the Oshawa Generals junior team sent an email to season-ticket holders asking them to \u201cbe mindful of personal cleanliness\u201d and take a pregame shower \u201cif you went to the gym or did something that produced body odor.\u201d The team partially reversed course yesterday, apologizing on social media: \u201cWe are sorry and hopeful we can wash this one off<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfa4 On the latest episode of \u201cThe Athletic Hockey Show,\u201d two-time US Olympian and former NHLer David Backes joined Jesse Granger and Dom Luszczyszyn for a live recap of the Olympic openers<\/a> for Canada and the United States.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Jarome Iginla. (Bruce Bennett \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

MirTrivia Answer<\/p>\n

This was a tough one, to be sure. The only North American players with more than Crosby\u2019s 11 points in NHL-included Olympics?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Jarome (Iggy!) Iginla (14 points), Joe Sakic (13), Brian Rafalski (13) and Shea Weber (12).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s safe to say Crosby will be standing alone at the top of the list by the end of this tournament. But I don\u2019t think he\u2019s catching Teemu Selanne\u2019s record of 32 points<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udceb Love Red Light? Check out The Athletic\u2019s other newsletters<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Red Light newsletter\u00a0\ud83c\udfd2\u00a0| This is\u00a0The Athletic\u2019s\u00a0hockey\u00a0newsletter.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to receive Red Light directly in your inbox. Good morning, hockey…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":457185,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[377],"tags":[5,54125,4,2602,54279],"class_list":{"0":"post-457184","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hockey","8":"tag-hockey","9":"tag-mens-olympic-ice-hockey","10":"tag-nhl","11":"tag-olympics","12":"tag-womens-olympic-ice-hockey"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nhl\/116065403156783096","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/457184","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=457184"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/457184\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/457185"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=457184"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=457184"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=457184"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}